Because of frequent negative press coverage of Belarus, I always try to highlight positive developments with respect to my homeland. That’s a tendency that I typically share with the Belarusian government.

In the prior post, I published part of a note from an acquaintance in Belarus who used to work in a medical supply firm. It described a centralized, top-down procurement system susceptible to widespread graft. In this post, he talks about specific buying practices that defeat the rule of law, perpetuate the system, and protect those involved.

Last month I wrotepostson the FCPA Blog about my birthplace, Belarus. I talked about perceived corruption there and my optimistic outlook for the country as a destination for foreign direct investment. After the posts appeared, I heard from an acquaintance who until recently worked as in-house counsel for a Belarusian medical supply firm.

Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus since 1994. (Image courtesy of the Belarus Digest)In a previous post, I shared some personal experiences that cause me to believe Belarus has lower-than-advertised levels of corruption, offering a solid foundation for investment. I should also acknowledge that there's plenty of room for improvement.

Image courtesy of the Belarus governmentI’ve read the back-and-forth posts on the FCPA Blog about Colombia with great interest. In addition to teaching me something new, the discussion inspired me to promote another country that rarely makes it to the top of the foreign direct investment list -- Belarus.

In an SEC filing this week, Spanish pharmaceutical firm Grifols SA said the DOJ issued an 'official declination to all inquiries related to the possible violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) that were underway since July 2009.'